Re: Landmark's health warnings

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Landmark doesn't like being linked to EST even though it largely lionizes Erhard with rather "cult-like" devotion.

Landmark's legal defeat must be both personally and professionally painful for its General Counsel and legal strategist Art Schreiber. Perhaps that's why he attempted to bend the truth a bit within his press release.

For example Schreiber says, "At no time has Mr. Ross been willing… to take The Landmark Forum."

That is a false statement.

I repeatedly agreed to take the weekend seminar course Landmark presents called the Forum.

However, under no circumstances would I agree to sign paperwork waiving the right to a trial by jury in the event of any personal injury, even though such a waiver is required from every Landmark course participant.

Landmark decided not to follow-up after that.

Landmark hoped through its lawsuit to coerce concessions from RI.

However, Landmark received no concessions whatsoever, regarding the material archived at the RI database, adding additional material suggested by Landmark or somehow changing the format or entries at the message board.

And all settlement offers made by Landmark to RI were rejected.

Therefore, Landmark had no choice but to go forward and face further unsealed discovery or give up their lawsuit.

Landmark chose to give up and packed it in through a motion to dismiss its lawsuit with prejudice, which means it cannot be filed again.

And so as T.S. Eliot once remarked "it ends not with bang, but a whimper."

And in memory of Landmark's past critics who endured its threats to sue and/or frivolous litigation this may provide some long overdue and meaningful closure.

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11. Although the schedule of the Program usually (but not always) accommodates sufficient time for sleeping, some participants have stated that they did not have sufficient time to sleep or were unable to sleep at night before, during or after the Program. Some people have entered the Program without having had sufficient sleep.

For some people, lack of sleep can become a serious problem and may be symptomatic of a mental or emotional illness.

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“If you are just trying to remember simple facts ?listing all the kings of England, say ?cramming all night works, ” he explains. “That’s because it’s a different memory system, the declarative memory system.

"But if you expect to be hit with a question like ‘Relate the French Revolution to the Industrial Revolution,’ where you have to synthesize connections between facts, then missing that night of sleep can be disastrous. Your ability to do critical thinking takes a massive hit? just as with alcohol, you’re knocking out the frontal-cortex functions.

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https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!msg/alt.fan.landmark/CTCHTmdrtKU/w83H7QDz_nwJ

NOTICE OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HEALTH WARNINGS
2 posts by 2 authors



computeruser

7/18/08


You must read the section below carefully and completely.
1. We are pleased that you are going to participate in The Landmark Forum
(the "Program"). Many people have found the

Program to be an enjoyable and valuable experience. However, the Program is
not advisable for everyone. The purpose of this

Notice is to ensure that you are not one of the people for whom this Program
may be inadvisable.

We take our responsibility and your safety seriously. Please read each
section of this Notice carefully and completely so you can

make the right decision for yourself. The recommendations in this Notice
have been made by mental health professionals who

advise Landmark Education.

Although the number of people who have experienced serious problems during
or after the Program is quite small, you should

be certain whether the Program is appropriate for you. If you have any
questions, please contact a mental health professional.

We will assume from your participation in the Program and from your
declaration at the end of this application that you have

a full understanding of each and every paragraph which follows and that you
understand our recommendations and will comply

with our instructions.

You and you alone are responsible for your choice to participate in the
Program and for your own

health and well-being at all times prior to, during and after your
participation in the Program.

2. The Program is a unique course of instruction designed to support people
in being more effective in realizing their own

personal and societal goals. Through a series of philosophically rigorous
and open discussions, voluntary sharing of your

experience and short exercises, the Program provides an opportunity to
explore basic questions that have been of interest to

human beings throughout time and to examine many aspects of your own life.
In the Program, people come to grips with what

it means to be human - not as a mere classroom exercise, but as a rigorous
inquiry. The Program offers a unique technology

through which people create new possibilities for their lives.

3. In the Program, you will inquire into fundamental issues that have been
of interest and concern to us as human beings. The

experience of the Program is unique to each individual and there is no way
to predict in advance exactly what you may think or feel.

It is normal for some people to experience unwanted or unfamiliar emotions
from time to time, such as fear, anger, sadness, regret,

hatred, irritation and impatience. For most participants, exploring thoughts
and feelings that they have not fully explored before is a

useful and positive learning experience. Some participants have found that
exploring life's issues honestly may evoke uncomfortable

and unpleasant feelings. For others, the Program may occur as physically,
mentally and emotionally seriously distressing. If you are

unwilling to encounter any of these powerful experiences in yourself or in
others, or if you have any concern about your ability to

deal with such experiences, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ADVISE
LANDMARK EDUCATION

("OUR ADVISORS") STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT PARTICIPATE in the
Program.

4. Some people experience temporary and not seriously consequential stress
during and after the Program. For most people, stress

is a normal part of everyday life. However, people who have a history of
mental illness or serious emotional problems personally

or in their immediate family may be more vulnerable to stress and may
experience additional and very severe physical, mental

or emotional problems. In people who have physical, mental or emotional
problems, even normal amounts of stress from any

source may generate severe physical, mental or emotional problems. If you
have any history of mental illness or emotional

problems personally or in your immediate family, whether temporary,
occasional or intermittent, and whether treated or not, or

have concerns about your ability to handle stress, OUR ADVISORS STRONGLY
RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT

PARTICIPATE in the Program. If you are uncertain about whether this applies
to you, we advise you to discuss this with a

mental health professional before participating in the Program.

NOTICE OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HEALTH WARNINGS

(continued)

5. While it is ultimately your choice, OUR ADVISORS STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT
YOU SHOULD NOT

PARTICIPATE in the Program if you:

(a) have a personal or family history of bi-polar affective disorder
(manic-depressive disorder), schizophrenia, acute or chronic

depression or other psychotic disorder, whether or not you or they are being
or have ever been treated or hospitalized;

(b) are taking, have taken or been prescribed to take within the previous
twelve months anti-anxiety drugs (such as Librium,

Ativan, Klonapin, Xanax, Dormicum or others); anti-depressants (such as
Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Cipram,

Prothiaden or others); anti-psychotics (such as Thorazine, Haldol,
Stelazine, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Dogmatil or others); any

medication to treat bi-polar disorders (such as Lithium, Gabapentin or
Depakote); any drugs or medicines, whether

prescription or non-prescription, intended to treat or affect mental
processes or mood or to treat a chemical imbalance; or

anabolic steroids;

(c) have an unresolved history of drug or steroid abuse;

(d) are or have in the past year been depressed and/or considered or had
ideas of suicide, self-harm or harm to another;

(e) are currently in therapy and your therapist sees a health reason why you
should not participate in the Program; or

(f) are uncertain about your physical, mental or emotional ability to
participate in the Program.

6. From time to time, during or shortly after participating in the Program,
a very small number of people who have no personal or

family history of mental illness or drug abuse have reported experiencing
brief, temporary episodes of emotional upset ranging

from heightened activity, irregular or diminished sleep, to mild
psychotic-like behavior. An even smaller number of people have

reported more serious symptoms ranging from mild psychotic behavior to
psychosis occasionally requiring medical care and

hospitalization. In less than 1/1000 of 1% of participants, there have been
reports of unexplained suicide or other destructive behavior.

While we know of no independent studies to suggest that people who are
physically, emotionally and mentally healthy are at risk

in the Program, certain persons have claimed that the Program has caused or
triggered in them a psychosis or psychotic event.

7. The Program is designed for people who clearly understand they are
responsible for their own health and well-being

before, during and after the Program. It is not therapeutic in design,
intent or methodology and is not to be used as a

substitute for medical treatment, psychotherapy or health program of any
nature, regardless of what you may believe or have

heard from anyone. We advise you that the Program Leaders, staff and people
who assist at the Program are not mental health

professionals and there will not be any mental health professionals in
attendance.

8. If you experience any symptoms or suggestion of mental distress in the
Program sessions, during the breaks or at the end of any

session, or between sessions, you must immediately inform the Program Leader
or the Program Supervisor. In such event, you

and the Program Leader will discuss the matter and you will determine what
is the appropriate thing for you to do. If you

experience any symptoms or suggestions of mental distress outside of the
Program, we strongly recommend that you

immediately inform a physician or mental health professional.

9. While there are breaks in the Program approximately every 2 to 3 hours,
we do not promise that we will always break at precisely

that interval. You are, of course, free to leave the Program room at any
time. Each day there is one meal break in the late

afternoon or early evening, usually lasting about an hour and a half. We
suggest that you eat a meal before arriving at the beginning

of each day, and have a third meal or snack after you leave in the evening.
You are welcome to bring snacks to eat during other

short breaks in the Program. If you have a medical condition requiring you
to eat or care for some special need more frequently

than the regularly scheduled breaks, or need special seating or must stand
and stretch frequently or have any other special needs,

please notify the Program Supervisor before the Program begins so that
appropriate arrangements can be made for you.

10. If you have not been feeling well or if you have been meaning to see a
physician or a mental health professional for some

complaint, symptom or concern, or if you have had difficulty sleeping
lately, or been depressed, it is imperative that you consult

with a physician or mental health professional prior to your participating
in the Program. Upon request, Landmark will provide

you with information required to enable you to make an informed decision
about your participation.

11. Although the schedule of the Program usually (but not always)
accommodates sufficient time for sleeping, some participants

have stated that they did not have sufficient time to sleep or were unable
to sleep at night before, during or after the Program.

Some people have entered the Program without having had sufficient sleep.
For some people, lack of sleep can become a

serious problem and may be symptomatic of a mental or emotional illness. If
in the past you have become (or think that you may

become) ill or seriously distressed because of lack of sleep, OUR ADVISORS
STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU

DO NOT PARTICIPATE in the Program. If you do not have sufficient sleep or if
you have a sleep disorder during the week

before the commencement of the Program, OUR ADVISORS STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT
YOU DO NOT

PARTICIPATE in the Program. If during the Program, you feel that you have
been unable to sleep or have not had sufficient

sleep, you must notify your Program Leader or Program Supervisor at once.

12. If, after your consulting with your medical or mental or health
professional, your health professional needs any additional

information about the Program in order to resolve your ability to
participate, please contact the Registration Fulfillment

Manager at the Center delivering this Program who will provide you with such
information.

NOTICE OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HEALTH WARNINGS (continued)

The following Agreements are intended to have legal significance. If you
have any questions

about their meaning, please feel free to consult an attorney.